Premier League - Bendtner downs Bolton

Eurosport - Sun, 11 Jan 08:10:00 2009

Nicklas Bendtner's late winner broke a stubborn Bolton resistance at the Emirates and gave Arsenal a hard-earned 1-0 victory.

Nicklas Bendtner celebrates scoring the winner for Arsenal against Bolton at the Emirates, January 10 2009 - 0

The Danish striker, on as a second-half substitute, slid in to meet Robin van Persie's clipped cross on 84 minutes and beat Jussi Jaaskelainen at his near post to earn the home side three vital points.

The result means Arsenal remain above Everton in fifth place in the Premier League, and are now level with fourth-placed Manchester United - although the champions have three games in hand.

Bolton had withstood a barrage of attacks from Arsene Wenger's team before the breakthrough, with Van Persie hitting the post and Emmanuel Adebayor denied by a fine block from Andy O'Brien in the second half.

The encounter was a heavily one-sided affair, which saw Arsenal camped in the Bolton half for long periods and dominate possession.

It was quickly evident that Gary Megson's visitors had come to defend. With Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander set far adrift from their eight outfield team-mates Bolton failed to muster a single attempt on goal in the opening period.

But with Gavin McCann and Ricardo Gardner toiling tirelessly in midfield Bolton succeeded in frustrating a strangely subdued Arsenal, who for all their dominance could not fashion a clear-cut opening.

The home side were not without intent. When Samir Nasri found Van Persie with a driven pass on 13 minutes the Dutchman controlled instantly with a knee and swivelled to drive just over the bar from 20 yards.

Van Persie blazed another shot over on 27 minutes, this time latching on to a weak clearance from Bolton's otherwise immaculate defence.

Arsenal could get no closer than speculative long-range efforts, however, and went into the break to a muted reception from the clearly frustrated home support.

With the second half finally came an attempt on goal for Bolton, but Matthew Taylor's header from Mustapha Riga's cross on 52 minutes barely troubled Manuel Almunia in the Arsenal goal.

After their brief sojourn forward, Bolton reverted to type for the rest of the match - packing bodies behind the ball and inviting Arsenal to come forward.

On the hour mark Gael Clichy crossed low for Adebayor from the left. The striker turned sharply, but his low shot was straight at Jaaskelainen.

Minutes later Nasri released Adebayor inside box with an exquisite pass, but this time O'Brien was on hand to block his goal-bound shot with a fine piece of defending.

On 70 minutes Arsenal came closer still. Van Persie twisted and turned to create space inside the area and shot against the right upright with Jaaskelainen beaten.

When the breakthrough finally came it owed much to the vision of Dutchman, who was without question Arsenal's best player.

Clichy found Van Persie on the left and he found Bendtner with a curling left-foot cross that invited the forward to lunge forward and poke past Jaaskelainen.

Having shown virtually no ambition throughout, Bolton suddenly found themselves behind and were forced to change tact. Almost immediately a chance presented itself to Davies, but the striker shot straight at Almunia.

With that ended Bolton's hopes of salvaging a point, but in truth victory for Arsenal could hardly have been more deserved.

Will Tidey / Eurosport

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  1. I am a lifelong gooner but I will admit the league is beyond us. We have though shown a lot more character these last few games. The trouble is we need 4 teams to collapse fully but I can only see perhaps 2 of them doing. What does worry me though is the number of nasty, homophobic and racist comments on this forum. I am a grandad but the comments seem to stem from grown men older than me. Is that a good example to set the youth today. Lets see some grown up comments for a change.

    From stephen.lamprell, on Sat 10 Jan 9:19PM

  2. ianvj - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz no more silverware zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz fifth place zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz no champions league next year zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz who'd be a gooner zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    From Mike S, on Sat 10 Jan 9:10PM

  3. Brightonbumboycokehead,
    Looks like another 1-0 to the Arsenal!

    From IAN, on Sat 10 Jan 9:04PM

  4. ARSEN WENGER GO BUY ROB GREEN ... MATTY UPSON BACK...... GIVE THEM GALLAS AND GET DIABY TO PUT SOME WEIGHT ON SO HE CAN BE OUR VIERA I HAVE SEEN IT IN HIM......AND GO TO A PUB ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON THIS SUNDAY AT 1 O CLOCK AND GET A NUTTER FROM SOME SUNDAY TEAM WHO IS FIT THEY ARE OUT THERE AND LET HIM GO WIN OUR BALL BACK IN THE CENTRE OF MIDFEILD AND PUT IT UP SOME PEOPLE ...... COME ON DIABY YOU THE ONLY MAN WHO HAS KNOCKED JOHN TERRY OUT WERES THE FIRE GONE ...... ON THE FEILD THAT IS

    From bud.bud, on Sat 10 Jan 9:02PM

  5. sussexdietcoke head,
    At least i'm living and not dying! Have you taken your daily dose?

    From IAN, on Sat 10 Jan 8:56PM

  6. Dear coke head
    Are you a Brighton boy? Do you go out at night looking for young boys to prey on? I would suggest you contact Gary Glitter as i'm sure he has a few numbers you can contact. I've also heard you need some aids because of the age you are. I'm sure a few people on this site hope you get the aids you deserve! Whoops was that a spelling mistake? Should it be aides?

    From IAN, on Sat 10 Jan 8:48PM

  7. you are an utter lowlife sussex god forgive you now piss off

    From linda.l.a.humphreys, on Sat 10 Jan 8:37PM

  8. sussexdietcoke,
    You came back then? What's wrong did the scousers scare you off?
    I'm not having a conversation with someone who knows nothing about Football.
    Arsenal are the most successful London club ever! Fact! The only team to go a whole season in the top flight without losing! Fact!
    We also beat MAN U RE in the premiership this season with a supposedly weak team! Fact!
    MU & Spurs will fight it out for the Carling cup and that's it. You are welcome to it!
    Now go and try to get a reaction from some less intelligent Supporters on the Man U re & Spurs sites, oh i forgot they are all illiterate so they don't have one!

    From IAN, on Sat 10 Jan 8:36PM

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    From roboalen02, on Sat 10 Jan 8:35PM

  10. thankyou for that sussexdietcoke maybe you should lay off the coke!!!! anyway i have reported your abuse so hopefully next week we dont have to read your foul mouth comments go and grow up and read your comics!

    From linda.l.a.humphreys, on Sat 10 Jan 8:21PM

  11. sussexdietcoke is a @#$%! I have been watching football for hundreds of years like you, and I am fairly certain based on my solid experience you are an @#$%.

    From Oxiuni, on Sat 10 Jan 8:19PM

  12. STUPID SEXY BENDTNER!!

    From Wilson-M, on Sat 10 Jan 8:14PM

  13. Diet coke is bad for you

    From nickgarside, on Sat 10 Jan 8:11PM

  14. Arsenal have not been the same since Thierry Henry and Patrick Viera left. I think even Arsenal supporters would agree on this one.

    From davemackay77, on Sat 10 Jan 8:10PM

  15. Dear duncanedwards69,
    i knew it wouldn't take long for the man u...re supporters to join in. What part of London are you from? You should really support a local team like most of us. Good luck to Chelski on Sunday. When Ronaldo gets a free kick chelski should have a one man wall cos he's bound to hit it! Lol

    From IAN, on Sat 10 Jan 8:04PM

  16. It would appear that sussexdietcoke is either a delusional or bitter human being, or both perhaps?

    From The Northerner, on Sat 10 Jan 7:58PM

  17. Arsenal wont finish in the top 5 fact

    From Duncan, on Sat 10 Jan 7:54PM

  18. sussexdietcoke i think you are a bloody lowlife it shows by your stupid comments on here Proves you are not a true football fan just a loud mouth

    From linda.l.a.humphreys, on Sat 10 Jan 7:53PM

  19. Arsenal are a class team i have watched them since i was 11 years old im now 52 female and think they deliver first class footie always man u fans that like to slag em off!! funny that

    From linda.l.a.humphreys, on Sat 10 Jan 7:51PM

  20. sussexdietcoke you know to go you are out your league you old P RICK

    From maxdobinson, on Sat 10 Jan 7:48PM
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